Essential information
| Type | Events and festivals |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Date and times | Thursday 8 October 2026 | VIP experience at 5.45pm | Sessions at 6.15pm and 8pm |
| Prices | Adult: £20-£25, VIP Adult: £45 (plus £3 booking fee) | Adult Member: £18-£22.50; VIP Adult Member: £40 |
| Discount for Members. Not a Member? Join now |
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This October, Musica Antica Rotherhithe returns to the magnificent Queen’s House to present Virtuoissime.
The programme features music by four of the most celebrated female composers of their day – Barbara Strozzi, Antonia Bembo, Settima and Francesca Caccini – alongside music by the men who taught them – Giulio Caccini, Jacopo Peri, Francesco Corbetta and Francesco Cavalli.
In keeping with the way this music was performed in the 17th century, most of this concert will be sung self-accompanied, and all of it will be played on instruments which were used in the intimate, domestic settings where women performed secular music: the viol, theorbo and guitar, and pentagonal virginals.
The show
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Musicians
Lucine Musaelian soprano and viola da gamba
Kristiina Watt soprano, guitar and theorbo
Oliver Doyle tenor and pentagonal virginals
Programme – Virtuosissime
- Barbara Strozzi: Lagrime mie / Che si puo fare / Dolcissimi sospiri / Contrasto de' cinque sensi
- Francesca Caccini: O che nuovo stupore
- Settima Caccini: Due luci ridenti
- Antonia Bembo: Habbi pietà di me / Ha, que l'absence
- Giulio Caccini: Dalla porta d'oriente
- Jacopo Peri: Tu dormi
- Francesco Corbetta: Ciaccona
- Francesco Cavalli: Se laggiu negli abiss
Want a snapshot of the programme? Watch Lucine Musaelian singing and playing Dalla porta d'oriente by Giulio Caccini here.
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About Musica Antica
Founded by soprano Jessica Eucker and harpsichordist Oliver Doyle in 2016, Musica Antica aims to make Early Music accessible and exciting while programming some of the most rarely heard works of the Early Modern period. Since its foundation, it has grown to involve a permanent ensemble of five professional singers, violinists and continuo, with associated artists joining to perform its hallmark repertoire of 17th century Venetian opera, as well as music of the late Middle Ages, Renaissance and early 18th century.
2026 is a year of celebration for both Musica Antica and the Queen's House. It marks the 10th anniversary of the foundation of Musica Antica and of the reopening of the Queen's House to the public after its last refurbishment. Come and celebrate these anniversaries with us!
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What to expect
The evening includes:
- After-hour access to the Queen's House
- A drinks reception in the Orangery
- One complimentary soft drink per guest
- 50-minute concert with Musica Antica's extraordinary musicians
- Photo opportunities on the Tulip Stairs
- Time to purchase exclusive gifts and souvenirs in the shop
Timings
- Early session: drinks reception at 6.15pm and concert at 6.45pm
- Late session: drinks reception at 8pm and concert at 8.30pm.
Each show lasts approximately 50 minutes.
Tickets*
- Super early-bird tickets cost £20 for adults and £18 for adult members until Thursday 30 April 2026
- Early-bird tickets cost £22.50 for adults and £20 for adult members until Monday 31 August 2026
- Full-price tickets cost £25 for adults and £22.50 for adult members
This event is suitable for ages 18+.
Please note that a £3 non-refundable booking fee is added to each transaction, but there is no booking fee for Members.
*Royal Museum Greenwich reserves the right to change or withdraw any offer at any time without prior notice.
Drinks
Tickets include a complimentary soft drink.
You can upgrade your drink to a small bottle of prosecco (20cl) for £11.50 when purchasing your tickets.
Please note that catering will be very limited during the shows. Due to the nature of the licence for this event, only one alcoholic drink is permitted per person.
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The VIP Musica Antica experience
Want to make your evening extra special? Upgrade to VIP tickets for early access to the Queen’s House and an exclusive drinks reception on the elegant first-floor balcony – the Loggia. With only 16 VIP tickets available, it’s a rare chance to experience one of the building’s most iconic spaces before taking your reserved front-row seats for the concert.
The Loggia is the building’s open gallery, created as a place to see and be seen, with beautiful views towards Greenwich Park and the Royal Observatory.
VIP tickets include:
- Early entry from 5.45pm
- Exclusive drinks reception on the Loggia
- One drink included: small bottle of prosecco (20cl) or a soft drink
- Reserved seats in the first row
Timings
VIP experience starts at 5.45 pm.
Tickets
VIP tickets cost £45 for adults and £40 for adult members.
This event is suitable for ages 18+.
Please note that a £3 non-refundable booking fee is added to each transaction, but there is no booking fee for Members.
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Musica Antica
Mezzo soprano Camilla Seale rehearsing La Voix Humaine at Sands Films Studios (2021). Photo by Satish Pujji
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Musica Antica
Bass player Joachim Sabbat playing Christmas in the New World at Holy Trinity Church in Rotherhithe (2021). Photo by Satish Pujji
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Musica Antica
Musica Antica's musicians performing Lo Spedale at Sands Films Studio (2018). Photo by Annika Derksen
How to get to the Queen's House
Access onto the grounds and the Queen’s House will be via the Royal Gate entrance, located directly in front of the Queen's House.
Timings
VIP experience
5.45pm: Doors open to VIP ticket holders
5.45pm - 6.30pm: Drinks reception on the balcony
First show
6.15pm: Doors open to the public
6.15pm – 6.45pm: Drinks reception in the Orangery
6.45pm – 7.35pm: Performance
Second show
8.00pm: Doors open to the public
8.00pm – 8.30pm: Drinks reception in the Orangery
8.30pm – 9.20pm: Performance
Seat selection
Seating is unreserved, apart from VIP ticket holders.
Eating and drinking
We encourage you to explore the extended and diverse options of pubs, cafes and restaurants in Greenwich Village. Catering will be very limited during the shows.
Visiting the Queen's House
The Queen’s House is open every day from 10am-5pm unless advertised otherwise. During this event, guests will have access to the Great Hall, Tulip Stairs, shop and toilets. Rooms and galleries that are not part of the performance area will be closed.
Accessibility
The Royal Gate entrance provides level access to the entrance of the Queen’s House. Toilets, including an accessible toilet, are located in the Undercroft on the ground floor of the Queen’s House.
The shows will take place in the Great Hall, located on the first floor. Access from the Undercroft to the Great Hall can be done via lift. Wheelchairs can be accommodated in the Great Hall.
Companion tickets are available for any guest who would be unable to visit independently, please select this alongside a paid ticket.
If you are a wheelchair user or have any other queries regarding accessibility at this event, please contact bookings@rmg.co.uk prior to purchasing your ticket.
T&Cs for the purchase of alcoholic drinks
If you opted for purchasing an alcoholic drink or if you have chosen an alcoholic drink as part of the VIP experience, you must bring to this event a photo ID that proves your age. Under the Licensing Act 2003, it is mandatory for all licensed premises in England and Wales to adopt an age verification policy in relation to the sale or supply of alcohol. Additionally, according to the Challenge 25 policy, anyone buying alcohol who appears to be below 25 should be asked to provide an acceptable form of ID to verify their age. Examples of suitable forms of ID as proof of age: photographic driving licence, a passport or a proof of age card, such as the PASS card from the national Proof of Age Standards Scheme bearing the PASS hologram. If you fail to present a photo ID that proves your age, you will not be served any drink.
Please check your ticket for further Terms & Conditions.
